Floor covering and process of making same



Nov. 17, 1925.

C. M. TAYLOR FLOOR COVERING AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Original Filec} Jan. 10, 1922 FfLT PY/EOXYZ IN wag Patented Nov. 17, 192 5.

' tain new and useful Improvements in Floor UNITED STATES PATENTPOFFICE,

' CALEB MARSH-ALL TAYLOR. OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY. I

FLOOR covnnme AND rnocnss or MAKING am.

, Application filed January 10, 1922, Serial No. 528,301. lunewed september ,1, 1925.

siding at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented cer- Coverings and Processes of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to'fioor coverings and to a process of making the same.

The floor covering provided is of that type known as felt base floor coverings and particularly such materials in which an asphalt or bitumen impregnated base is used.

The invention is also peculiarly adapted for use in combination with all floor coverings in which either the wear surface or the opposite face is formed of paint or other material containing linseed oil or other oil, or any material subject to saponification or removable under the action of soap and the usual floor cleaning materials.

Bitumen-impregnated-felt base floor coverings may be recognized by the main dark body which is particularly evident when the material is cut. The felt of such bases may be made from rags or from paper or any cellulose material, or from a mixture of such material, thoroughly impregnated with asphalt or tar or some suitable bituminous material. When used as a supporting base for floor covering it is the usual practice to coat the bitumen impregnated base with a layer of paint which is known as a sealing coat and often to apply various painted designs, all of which may be applied in any convenient manner. Also, a coat of paint is applied to the opposite or under surface of theimpregnated base to cover the dark and unsightly bitumen impregnated base.

In using such bitumen impregnated bases it has been found that the wear paint and' the decorative paint may become'discolored due in part to the inherent nature of the bitumen of the base. Also in drying the paint coats it is necessary to dry at relatively low temperatures and for a correspondingly longv period, oftenas long as fouror ve days; A higher temperature and more rapid drying would tend to liquefy the bitumen and delay proper drying of the paint and also discolor the aint due to-the release of materials from t e base. Thus a baking p rature of 175 c 'm Such as is sirable for treating the paint coats, .is not fidvisable in the usual drying of such coated ases.

After the presentknown product iscom-- pleted it is usually necessary to place paper between adjacent surfaces when the matethe adjacent painted surfaces from adher 50 rial is rolled or stacked in layers to prevent ing, It is well known that all such painted 1 surfaces, and also that the material-known as linoleum is worn away by the use of sea and water because of sa onification by suc v cleaning materials on t e oils in the paint and linoleum. I

The present invention'makes it possible to use the relatively inexpensive bitumen impregnated felt base without discoloration of the wear or decorative paint coats, and results not only in reducing the time of drying the paint coatsa much shorter length of time, but makes it ossible to use a higher drying temperature or the paint and to produce a more lasting finish on the painted surface. Further, the present invention also provides a transparent, flexible and tough wear coat over the surface of the paint coats, and provides a surface of non-saponifiable material which will resist the action of soap and water. i i

In producing the impregnated felt base of this invention, the usual rolls of felt may be used. These may have been previously impregnated with a bituminous material, or may have been saturated with the cellulose ester solution in accordancewith the details described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 528297, filed January 10, 1922. Or the base may have been saturated with the particular com ound described and claimed in my copen ing application Serial No. 538143, filed February 20, 1922, in which compound there is a mixture of linseed 'oil or 've etable drying oils, a drier such as borate o manganese, and resin, such as cumaron, or kauri, or camphor and the impregnated base dried in accordance with the particular steps set forth in that application.

solution is nitrocellulose an erably the desired quantity of a semi dprepared of a mixture of ordrying vegetable oil is added to the mixa. solvent therefon, Prefused where an ordinary bitumen impregnated base would not have been acce table before on account of the sticky, tar-1i e nature of its materials.

One or more pamt coats are then applled and the structure baked to dry the paint and provide the desired wearing surface. The coating of impervious pyroxylin over the felt base prevents any dark material rom the base from discoloring the paint.

.An outer coating of a cellulose solution is then applied by dipping the painted base or by brushing the solution over the paint coat, or by any suitable spreading means, and finally the cellulose coating is dried.

In the preparation of a cellulose solution for the sealing coat and for the outer coat other cellulose esters, such as acetyl cellulose, may be used instead of nitrocellulose. One satisfactory mixture for the coating solution used for the sealing coat may be made by using 12 parts by weight of nitro cotton, and 88 parts by weight of a solvent mixture which may be composed of 35 per cent of acetone oil and 65 per cent of such adiluent as solvent naphtha,-xylol, toluol, or benzol. Any well known working 'for mula may be used for combining such a mixture of drying or semi-drying vegetable oil and nitro cotton. To such a mixture may be added 12 parts by weight of linseed oil or other semi-drying or drying vegetable oil.

One satisfactory solution for the outer wear coat may be made by using 10 parts by weight of nitro cotton, and 90 parts by weight of a solvent mixture which may be composed of'35 per cent of acetone oil and I per cent of such a diluent as solvent naphtha, xylol,,toluol, or benzol. Any well known working formula may be used for combining such a mixture of drying or semidrying vegetable oil and nitro cotton. To such a mixture may be added10 parts by weight of linseed oil or other semi-drying or drying vegetable oil.

In the accompanying drawing vFigure 1 illustrates an enlarged sectional view of a felt base 1 having an upper coating 2 of the yroxylin solution and if desirable an un e1- coating'3 of the same material. A paint coat 4 is applied on top of the surface 2 and an outer decorative paint coat is indicated at 5. An outer wear coat of transparent pyroxylin is indicated at 6.

Figure 2 is aplan view of the material illustrated in- Figure 1.

Both the bottom coat and the wear coat serve to increase the tensile strength, and these coats do away with the need of spacing paper in the shipment of the materials,

whether the material be rolled or stacked in layers. The'wear coat and the bottom coat possess good wearing qualities and are non-saponifiable.

To either one or all of the cellulose coatings may be added 12 parts by weight of resin, such as cumaron, or kauri, or camphor or such other quantity as may be desirable. Likewise to any of the mixtures used in the cellulose coatings a pigment color in any desired shade and amount can be added. This results in a tinted film formed from the solution, as contrasted with a plastic material, in which the same shade extends through the thickness, of the film and gives an opaque effect, a feature which is new inv such cellulose coatings, and particularly in floor coverings. This is to be contrasted to the tinted pyroxylin plastics such as are applied by plastic working apparatus. Preferably the outer wear coating is substantially transparent if it is immediately over a decorative paint coat.

I claim: i

1. A floor covering comprising an impregnated felt base saturated throughout with an impregnating material and dried, a first imperforate coating of a cellulose ester on said base, a coating of paint on said cellulose ester, and a second and trans parent coating of a cellulose ester on the outer surface of said paint coat.

2. A floor covering comprising an impregnated felt base saturated throughout with an impregnating material and dried, afirst imperforate coating of a mixture of a cellulose ester and a softening medium on said base, a coating of coating, and a second an transparent coating of a cellulose ester 011 the outer surface of said paint coat.

3. A floor covering comprising an impregnated felt base saturated throughout with an impregnating material and dried, a first imperforate coating of a nitrocellulose material on said base, a coating of paint on said first coat, and a second and transparent coating of nitrocellulose on the outer surface of said paint coat.

4:. A floor covering comprising an impregnated felt base saturated throughout with an impregnating material and dried, a first imperforate coating of a mixture of nitrocellulose and a' softening medium on said base, a coating of paint on said first coating, and a second and transparent coating of nitrocellulose on the outer surface of said paint coat. I

5. A floor covering comprising an unpre-gnated felt base, a first imperforate coating of a cellulose ester on the opposite faces of Said base, a coating of paint on said cellupaint on said first lose ester, and a second ,and transparent coatin of a cellulose ester on the outer surface 0 said paint coat.- I

.6. A floor covering comprisingan impregnated felt base, a first imperforate coating of a mixture of a cellulose ester and a softening medium onthe opposite faces of said base, a coating of paint on said first coating, and a second and transparent coating of a cellulose ester on the outer surface of sai-d paint coat.

7. A floor covering comprising an impregnated felt base, a first imperforate coating .of a nitrocellulose material on the opposite faces of said base, a coating of paint on said first coat, and a second and transparent has been saturated throughout by coating it with a first coatingof a solution of a cellulose ester, drying said coating, applying to said dried surface a coat of paint,

and a plying a second and transparentcoat-' ing 0 a solution of a cellulose ester. 7

10. The process of making floor coverings which comprises treating a felt base, which has been saturated throughout, by coating it with a first coating solution of a cellulose ester, drying said solution, applying to said dried surface a coat of paint,- and applying to said paint coat a second and transparent coating 'of a mixture in solutionv of a cellulose ester and a softening medium.

11. The process of making floorcoverings which comprises coating an impregnated felt base with a coating solution of a cellulose ester, drying said solution, applying to.

said dried surface a 'coat' of paint, and applying to said paint coat a second and transparent coating of a mixture in solution of 10 parts by weight of a cellulose ester, 90 parts of a solvent therefor, and 10 parts of a softening medium.

' ings which comprises coating animpregnated felt base witha solution of a cellulose ester, which solution containsv approximately 12 parts by weight of a cellulose ing said solution, applying to said ester and 88 parts of solvent therefor, drydried surface a coat ofpaint, and applying to said paint coat a second and transparent coatin of a mixture in solution of 12 parts by weight of acellulose ester, 90 parts of of making floor coverings a solvent therefor, and 10 parts of a'softening medium.

13. The process of making floor coverings which comprises coating an impregnated felt base with a solution of a cellulose ester,

which solution contains approximately 12 parts by weight of a cellulose ester, 88 parts of solvent therefor and 10 parts of a softening medium, drying said solution, applyin to said dr ed surface a coat of paint, and applying to said paint coat a second and transparent coating of a mixture in solu- I tion of 10 parts by weight of a cellulose ester, parts of a solvent therefor, and 10 parts of a softening medium.

14. The process of making floor cover ings which comprises treating a felt base, which has been saturated throughout, by coating it with a first coating of a solution of a cellulose ester, drying said coating, applying to said dried surface a coat of paint,

and applying a second and transparent coating of a solution of a cellulose ester.

15. The process of making floor coverings which comprises treating a feltbase, which has been saturated throughout, by coating it with a first coating of a solution of nitrocellulose, drying saidcoating, applying to said dried surface a coat of paint, and applying a second and transparent coating of a solution of nitrocellulose.

16. The process of making floor coverings which comprises treating a felt base, which has been saturated throughout, by coating it with a first coating solution of nitrocellulose, drying said solution, applying to said dried surface a coat of painti and applying to said paint coat a secon and transparent coating of a mixture. in solution of nitrocellulose and a softening medium.

17. The process of making floor coverings which comprises coating an impregnated felt base with a coating solution of n1trocellulose, drying said solution, applylng to said dried surface a coat of paint, and'ap plying to said'pa ntcoat a second and transparent coating of a mixture in solution of 10 parts by weight of nitrocellulose, 90 parts of a solvent therefor, and 10 parts of a softening medium. 7

18. The process of making floor coverings which comprises coating an impregnated felt base with a solution of nitrocellulose, 12. The process of making floor cover which solution contains approximately 12 of paint, and applying to said paint coat a second and transparent coating of. a mixture in solution of 10 parts by weight of nitrocellulose, 90 parts of a solventther'efo'r, v

and 10 parts of a softening medium. I

' 19. The processof making floor coverings which comprises coating/an impregnated felt base with a solution of nitrocellulose,

tion of parts by weight of nitrocellulose,

90 parts of a solvent therefor, and'lO parts of softening medium.

20. The process of making floor coverings which comprises treating a felt base, which has been saturated throughout, by coating it with a first coating of a solution of nitro' cellulose, drying said coating, applying to said driedsurface a coat of paint, and applying a second and transparent coating of a solution of nitrocellulose.

21. A smooth surface floor covering comprising a porous base saturated throughout With an impregnating material and dried, a first imperforate coating of a cellulose ester on said base, a coating of paint on said cellulose ester, and a second and transparent coating of a cellulose ester material on the outer surface of said paint coat.

22. A smooth surface floor coveringcomprising a porous "fibrous base saturated throughout with an impregnating material and dried, a first imperforate coating of a cellulose ester material on said paint, a coating of paint on said first coat, and a second and transparent coating of a cellulose ester material on the outer surface of said paint coat.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CALEB MARSHALL TAYLOR. 

